View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Archive - Università di Pisa An analysis of China's industrial cluster(Zhejiang province pattern): historical development, questions and prospective in pursuit of sustainable competitive advantage-the case of Datang and Sassuolo 1. Introduction Today's economy is dominated by inter-firms networks, which have become powerful instruments for building competitive capacity in the global market place. Industry clusters are recognized as an important role in both regional and national economy. As M. E. Porter pointed out, economic map of the world is filled with regions known as clusters today. [1] Under the current climate of rapid industrial development in China, the outstanding contribution from industrial districts or clusters has been widely accepted and acknowledged by researchers and government. The intention of this paper is to analyze this phenomenon from the development, characteristics, drivers and problems of industrial clusters in the province of Zhejing, China by comparing two clusters: Datang hosiery cluster and Sassuolo ceramic tiles cluster--which is a prototype of successful industrial cluster from developed country. This comparative method helps understand that in many ways, the Zhejiang districts appear to have many similarities with the development observed in the 3rd Italy; however, we can distinguish the features and dissimilarities between these two types of clusters – the very structure factors that render the clusters highly specific. Finally, this paper will also point out some server problems of Chinese industrial cluster, which all will be helpful for us to know the situation of China SME industrial clusters. Further more, this study is carried on finally to explore the problem resolution of the clusters in pursuit of sustainable competitive advantages in order to cope with the dual challenge of knowledge creation/innovation and globalization. This paper discusses the intersection of theory and experience, drawing on plus personal observation, particularly in two clusters that are described in detail. The paper is structured as follows: in the next section we will review some of the literature on definition of the concept of ''industrial cluster'' and present its typology; to better illustrate the ''ecological environment'' of Chinese case, some researches on industrial clusters in China will consequently be introduced. Then, in section3 and 4 I will proceed with the Chinese and Italian case study and examine the driving-factors that led to the creation of new clusters and the development of present districts; identify the feature and particular characteristics. We shall compare the cluster of Datang hosiery with the case of Sassuolo ceramic tiles in section 5, which is an excellent representative of high-quality product, and present both the similarities and dissimilarities. Finally, section 6 will provide the reader with some concluding remarks and some suggestions for further research. 2. Literature review 2.1. Definition of industrial clustering Industrial cluster theory originates in agglomeration economic theory, and can be traced back to Alfred Marshall's (1920) work , in which he systematically analyzed the trend of industrial agglomeration in two different cities in England in which firms concentrating on the manufacture of certain products were geographically clustered. Firms located in industrial districts are highly vertical and horizontal specialized. Its heavy reliance on market mechanism of exchange characterizes itself as a beneficiary of ―external economies‖. Marshall identifies three conditions for setting an industrial cluster: the existence of a pool of adequate labour, the existence of specialized suppliers and the possibility of external spill-overs (the expanding of industrial scale will promote an increase of industrial knowledge and the dissemination of know- how/technical information, which leads to the formation and development of industry clusters). [2] Since then, many academics have been discussing on the ―endogeneity‖ factor of formation in relation with the industrial agglomeration. Many generations of industrial economists, such as Alfred Weber, Coase R, Krugman and Porter, closely studied this phenomenon and achieve their results in the field of industrial location theory, transaction cost theory, new economic geography theory and ―clusters‖ theory – diamond model. It is Michael E. Porter (1998) who first put forward and popularized the specific concept of industrial clusters in the management domain. He defines clusters as ―geographically proximate group of companies and associated institutions in a particular field, linked by commonalties and complementarities.‖ [3] Porter associated the phenomenon of industrial clusters with the rationale of developing competitive advantages for firms. He argues that the competitive advantages of an industrial cluster is determined by four interrelated determinants, graphically depicted as a ―diamond model‖: factors conditions, demand conditions, related and supporting industries, and firm strategy, structure and rivalry. There is a role of chance events and historical accidents, and a final influence on the environment is government. According to Porter, the geographic concentration of customers, suppliers and rivals tends to enhance innovative ability and competitiveness in a cluster and further to upgrade the cluster itself. Industrial clusters in an era of global competition pose a paradox, but global competition can be fostered with competitive advantage generated from local elements. Porter submits that ― in theory, location should no longer be a source of competitive advantage. Open global markets, rapid transportation, and high-speed communications should allow any company to source any thing from any place at any time. But in practice, location remains central to competition.‖ ―Although location remains fundamental to competition, its role today differs vastly from a generation ago. In an era when competition was driven heavily by input costs, locations with some important endowment – a natural labour, for example, or a supply of cheap labour – often enjoyed a comparative advantage that was both competitively decisive and persistent over time. ‖ (Porter, 1998) However, there has not yet been put agreement upon definition of clusters. Feser (1998) states ―there is no cluster theory per se, rather a broad range of theories and ideas that constitute the logic of clusters.‖ [5] Martin and Sunley (2003) consider that clusters are ―definitional and conceptual elasticity.‖ To understand this term better we shall look at a list of definitions proposed by some of the most renowned cluster scholars (Table 1: List of Definition of Industrial Cluster). [6] Table 1: List of Definition of Industrial Cluster Porter (2000, p. 16) ―A cluster is a geographically proximate group of interconnected companies and associated institutions in a particular field, linked by commonalities and complementarities‖. Porter (1998, p. 10) ―A cluster is a critical mass of companies in a particular field in a particular location, whether it is a country, state or region, or even a city. Clusters take varying forms depending on their depth and sophistication, but most include a group of companies, suppliers of specialized inputs, components, machinery, and services, and firms in related industries. Clusters also often include firms in downstream (e.g. channel, customers) industries, producers of complementary products, specialized infrastructure providers and other institutions that provide specialized training, education, information, research, and technical support, such as universities, think tanks, vocational training providers, and standards-setting agencies. Finally many clusters include trade associations and other collective bodies covering cluster members.‖ Rosenfeld (1997, p. 4) ―A cluster is very simply used to represent concentrations of firms that are able to produce synergy because of their geographical proximity and interdependence, even though their scale of employment may not be pronounced or prominent.‖ Feser (1998, p. 26) ―Economic clusters are not just related and supporting industries and institutions, but rather related and supporting institutions that are more competitive by virtue of their relationships.‖ Swann and Prevezer (1998, p. 1) ―A cluster means a large group of firms in related industries at a particular location‖. Simmie and Sennett (1999a, p. 51) ―We define an innovative cluster as a large number of interconnected industrial and/or service companies having a high degree of collaboration, typically through a supply chain, and operating under the same market conditions.‖ Roelandt and den Hertag (1999, p.9) ―Clusters can be characterized as networks of producers of strongly interdependent firms (including specialized suppliers) linked to each other in a value-adding production chain.‖ Van den Berg, Braun and van Winden (2001, p. 187) ―The popular term cluster is most closely related to this local or regional dimension of networks ... Most definitions share the notion of clusters as localized networks of specialized organizations, whose production processes are closely linked through the exchange of goods, services and/or knowledge.‖ Enright (1996, p. 191) ―A regional cluster is an industrial cluster in which member firms are in close proximity to each other.‖ Source: Martin and Sunley (2003) The definitions